friable

[frahy-uh-buh l] /ˈfraɪ ə bəl/
adjective
1.
easily crumbled or reduced to powder; crumbly:
friable rock.
Origin
1555-65; < Latin friābilis, equivalent to friā(re) to rub, crumble + -ābilis -able
Related forms
friability, friableness, noun
unfriable, adjective
unfriableness, noun
Can be confused
friable, fryable.
Synonyms
fragile, frangible.
Examples from the web for friable
  • Many of the miscellaneous materials in this section are non-friable.
  • The upper part of the subsoil is friable sandy clay loam mottled with red.
  • Machine grinding, sanding and dry-buffing are ways of causing non-friable materials to become friable.
British Dictionary definitions for friable

friable

/ˈfraɪəbəl/
adjective
1.
easily broken up; crumbly
Derived Forms
friability, friableness, noun
Word Origin
C16: from Latin friābilis, from friāre to crumble; related to Latin fricāre to rub down
Word Origin and History for friable
adj.

1560s, from Middle French friable and directly from Latin friabilis "easily crumbled or broken," from friare "rub away, crumble into small pieces," related to fricare "to rub" (see friction). Related: Friability.

friable in Medicine

friable fri·a·ble (frī'ə-bəl)
adj.

  1. Readily crumbled; brittle.

  2. Relating to a dry, brittle growth of bacteria.